Understand Your Enemy
by L's-Willing-Slave
Summary: L & Light are trying to find out who the other is. They end up switching bodies. How can Light become God if he's stuck in L's body? How can L live while in Kira's body, or even deal with the social aspects? Can they use this to their advantage?
1. Chapter One

**A.N**: _So I really shouldn't be starting ANOTHER story right now, but this came to me, and I couldn't find any others quite like it on fanfiction, so... I had to write it XD_

**Disclaimer**: _I don't own Death Note._

* * *

><p>Ch1<p>

Light cackled maniacally as he wrote down the name. _Lind L. Tailor. Too bad you weren't smarter, L. We could have had fun..._

The screen flashed to a giant L, the sudden computer-manipulated voice bringing Light's joy to a halt. "_I had my suspicions, but... I didn't really believe you could kill without even being there!_"

* * *

><p>Rarely did anything manage to catch the Shinigami King's eye. He was always monitoring the actions of his Shinigami. He had been the one to create them, and he held the secret to why they even exist.<p>

He couldn't remember his own birth, but he did know that he had once appeared human. Now, however... he was a monster. A truly horrible sight to behold. If he had wanted, he could have retained his human appearance, but no one would respect him if he looked like the prey. So over thousands of years, he had slowly changed until he was an unrecognizable beast.

The first thousand or so years had been interesting. He created new shinigami whenever a worthy death note holder died, or took that death note holder as his pet. He observed his shinigami and killed or punished those that broke rules. He watched the human world with his all-seeing eyes, taking in everything at the same time.

Eventually, it just got boring. That was why he had 'been tricked' into giving Ryuk a second death note. He knew full well it was Sidoh's death note. He also knew that Ryuk wasn't like the other shinigami. Ryuk got bored. And when he got bored, he did whatever had to be done (minus breaking any rules) to alleviate his boredom.

So far Ryuk hadn't disappointed. Light Yagami was an amazing human, and The King was awaiting the day they would meet.

Unfortunately for Light, watching the human write names all the time and mentally babble nonstop, while interesting, was just too repetitive. He could wait for the detective L to make a move, but who's to say Light wouldn't just get caught and sent to prison?

No, The King would not risk his only source of amusement leaving too soon. He just had to figure out a way to make everything last.

He wasn't going to help the boy out if he got stuck in jail, nor would he save him from Death Row. He was not going to give L clues. The King had decided long ago that interfering so directly should not be done.

He went over his many powers in his mind, trying to pin point one that could be used to his advantage at the moment. He could take or restore life (though he only restored life if it was needed to keep the human race from going extinct, and thus the death gods), he could see everything all at once, he could manipulate souls...

As an idea came to him, something that might just classify as a grin tugged at the area called 'his face'. Yes, he knew exactly what to do.

* * *

><p>L took a sip from his sugary coffee, staring intently at the screen before him. He sat on the floor before his monitor, examining a chart listing the deaths in the last month. He had checked it again and again, but it never hurt to keep looking. He would stay up all night again and examine everything, over and over and...<p>

He fell onto his side, out cold and in the land of dreams.

* * *

><p>Light had planned on staying up a few hours later than usual to jot down names in his death note. However, when his eyes started to burn, he placed his Death Note in his desk drawer and crawled into bed, instantly passing out.<p>

* * *

><p>L woke up feeling better than he had in a long time. Keeping his eyes closed, he cuddled into the soft bedding around him.<p>

…bedding? L frowned. No, he had definitely fallen asleep on the hard floor. He was sure of that. Unless this was a strange dream. He pinched himself, wincing at the pain. Yes, definitely awake. Perhaps someone had found out he was L and kidnapped him. But that was impossible with all his precautions. Plus, who kidnapped someone and placed them somewhere nice and comfortable? He opened his eyes, giving up on guessing.

Moonlight filled an unfamiliar room, signifying that he had woken up before dawn yet again. If he had to guess, with the aid of the window's view, he'd say he was in a suburban house on the second floor. The room was spotless, with a desk, computer, and small TV. There was a bookshelf stuffed with nonfiction and classics.

Something was definitely not normal...

L pushed himself to his feet, looking around the room. His eyes landed on a book bag. It might have information on whoever had taken him here...

What an odd place to take someone. It was very difficult to believe he was a captive. But if not that, then what?

He turned the book bag upside down, emptying its contents onto the floor. Paper, a blue notebook, pencils, pens, a couple of books, a folder. He opened the folder, smiling triumphantly as he found homework assignments. The name on the top was _Yagami Tsuki_. It was a strange name, but he knew that parents sometimes got creative to an absurd extent.

It still didn't make sense. Why would a student kidnap him and leave L alone in the students room, on their own bed?

He stuffed the stuff back into the book bag, approaching the door with caution. He tried the handle... and it opened. He peeked left and right down the dark hallway, before deciding to go to the right. He found a single door cracked open, and peeked in. It was a bathroom.

Maybe he could find something to defend himself with in the medicine cabinet? He entered the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him before turning on the light. He turned to the mirror, where he figured the medicine cabinet was located... and paused with his hand in the air.

As he stared at the mirror, the face that stared back was no his own. Was this perhaps _not _a mirror, but an imposter copying his actions? Or maybe some video feed made by his captors to confuse him? He raised a hand, the teen in the reflection mirroring his actions, running fingers through silky brown hair. L trembled as he lowered his hand from straight, soft strands. That was _not _his hair. He gazed at his hand...

No, he was way more pale than that. This honey-hued skin couldn't be his! And those eyes reflected back at him...

L screamed.

* * *

><p>Light grimaced as he started to wake up. Had he rolled onto the floor in the night? He hadn't done that in years. As it stood, all his body parts seemed to ache in one way or another. He opened his eyes, sitting up, and wondering how in Hell he had ended up in a hotel room, empty aside from a computer and himself.<p>

Had he been kidnapped? Had he been discovered as Kira?

He sat up straight, wincing at the slight pain that caused in his back. He felt an unusual need to hunch, as if his back muscles couldn't handle the exertion of holding his back in his favorite straight position. He ignored the pain, keeping his back straight. He refused to slouch like a common slob.

He reanalyzed the room, taking in the door on the wall opposite to the one he was near. A window took up most of the north wall (Which was way too long. Why was the room so big? Definitely not a bedroom.) An open doorway led to who-knows-where. A cup beside the computer caught his attention. It looked like coffee. He scrunched his nose at the light color of it. Clearly whoever had been drinking it had added a lot of creamer or something. Light preferred black, and didn't see the appeal of coffee when the bitter flavor was lessened.

He was about to get to his feet when the computer screen flashed, a giant L appearing on it. Panic instantly flared within Light's chest. Had _L _of all people caught him? Impossible! He had given out enough clues to help L narrow it down, but not enough to pinpoint Light himself!

"_Sir, the police wish to speak to you."_

Light stared, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

"_Sir? L, are you there?_"

Why was L addressing him, Light, as L? Something seriously wasn't adding up. Was it a test?

"I... have to use the bathroom," he said, then winced. What was wrong with his voice? And what kind of thing to say was that?

In any case, he _did _have to use the bathroom, so...

"_...alright. Just make it quick._"

Light rushed to the door on the opposite side of the room, not sure why he was hurrying, just knowing that he wanted to distance himself from that freaky computer. He flipped on the light switch, looking around, back aching as he continued to force it into a straight position. His eyes landed on the mirror...

...and he screamed.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N:<strong> _So? Whatcha think? :P Review, please!_


	2. Chapter Two

**A.N**: _Hey :D Thank you to all that reviewed! Here's the next chapter. It's basically setting things up. :P_

**Disclaimer**: _Don't own Death Note. Obviously..._

* * *

><p>L was sitting on the bed he had woken up on, legs pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped loosely around them. After realizing he was... was what? Someone else? He grimaced. Yes, after realizing he was someone else, he had screamed. Apparently he was in a household, because his 'dad' came running out, trying to figure out what had made his 'son' scream. L had stared dumbly for a moment, taken aback by the fact that this man <em>truly <em>mistook L as his own son. Whatever was happening, it was real.

He had then babbled off an excuse about a spider, which had gotten him a suspicious look. When the man had returned to his room, L had went back to the somewhat familiar bedroom to think.

So far, thinking hadn't proved beneficial in the least. And this position, while still comforting, took a bit more effort to maintain.

Maybe he just needed sugar...

The sound of movement slowly began to fill the house, as the morning light filled the room. L chewed on his thumb, before quickly pulling it out of his mouth. He wasn't really chewing on _his_ thumb. He was chewing on some stranger's thumb. The mere thought was revolting. Who knew where this thumb had been?

He stayed in place, nearly jumping out of his skin (which actually sounded good at this moment) when the bedroom door flung open. "Onii-chan, it's time for school!"

In the doorway was a young girl, probably in junior high. Long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, her eyes narrowing as they took her 'brother' in. "Why are you sitting like that?"

L blinked, and realized that if he was going to survive, he'd have to play the part of whoever this body belonged to. He couldn't just calmly explain that he wasn't who he appeared to be. It was likely he'd just be laughed at and ignored, or, if he persisted, thrown into an insane asylum.

He realized the girl had left without an answer, as he placed his feet onto the floor. Step one... getting dressed.

He shut and locked the door before approaching the dresser, sorting through them. Underwear and socks... Suit shirts... suit pants... pajama pants... pajama shirts... Everything was very formal. L grimaced at the thought of putting on a restrictive outfit. He pulled out a button up white shirt, wondering if he had ever worn one in his entire life.

He had to unbutton the night shirt to get it off, slipping the white shirt over his head, twisting and tugging at it to get his arms through the holes. The priorly creaseless shirt was now efficiently wrinkled.

L slipped off the PJ pants, deciding against changing his underwear. Not in fear of seeing another man's private parts. He was going to have to use the bathroom, and wasn't going to do so blindly. He just didn't want to struggle in and out of any more clothes than he had to.

He had to struggle into a pair of slacks. While they were comfortable enough, he wasn't used to this body's proportions. They were similar, but not exactly the same.

Now where would the suit jacket be...? His eyes landed on the closet. _There_. He pulled a suit jacket off of a hanger, pulling it on. He held the tie he had found up in the air, scrutinizing it. And how was he supposed to put this on? His eyes strayed to the computer. _Internet_. You could learn anything with it.

When he was finally ready (though admittedly the tie would _not _fall perfectly) he grabbed the messenger bag from the floor and slung it over his shoulder. It was with interest that he noticed it felt uncomfortable to slouch, as if his muscles preferred to keep him standing straight. He didn't want to seem suspicious or awkward...

He held himself straight, muscles that usually hurt at such a task not hurting in the slightest bit. Strange.

"Light, breakfast is ready!" called a woman. L guessed it to be 'his' mom. Was the owner of this body named 'Light'? What a strange name...

* * *

><p>Light had managed to guide the police with the aid of the information set up on his computer, sacrificing the video feed on the police for the sake of sounding like the original owner of this body.<p>

He hoped the voice changer managed to hide the stumbling and awkwardness in his voice.

If he had been impersonating L in his own body, he could have done so with confidence. But every time he spoke, he was reminded that something was _seriously _wrong. Why the _hell _was he stuck in _L's _body?

And, indeed, that was who he deduced he was. There was no other explanation.

Though, he could use this situation to his advantage. Maybe this could lead him to L's real name.

_But if I'm in L's body... _Light cursed to himself. Of course! Why hadn't it occurred to him earlier? _L's in my body! _ This was the absolute last thing Light needed. L might even go ahead and destroy the Death Note, once he found it. Because how could he _not _find it, sooner or later?

_What if I never switch back? What if I'm stuck like this forever? _He'd never become a god if that was the case! He would never get his perfect world, free of crime!

_Calm down_, he ordered himself. _Think about this rationally. I'm the top student in Japan, and L is the number one detective in the world. Together, I'm sure we can come up with a solution... _Even if they did find a way to switch back, surely L would leave some incriminating evidence against Light...

Light sighed. What he needed was a shower. He didn't look forward to rubbing his hands over L's naked body, even if he himself was wearing it, but this body _smelled_. He wondered when L had last bathed. Or changed his clothes. These baggy things needed to go.

Except that might be suspicious to anyone that new L personally. Was there anyone like that? Maybe the man on the other side of the screen, also using the L logo?

Light decided he would think over everything in the shower.

He entered the bathroom, adjusting the shower to a temperature he liked. Picking a fluffy white towel from the cabinet, he placed it on the toilet seat lid. He took a moment to look 'himself' over in the mirror. Such messy hair. And the eye bags were absolutely hideous. He allowed himself to hunch for a moment, unable to keep back a relieved sigh as the aching pain left him.

However, the image in the mirror was enough to get him instantly standing straight once more. Hunched over, wearing baggy clothes, hair sticking up in all directions and uncomfortably greasy, with dark eye bags, he was his own worst nightmare.

It was then that he realized he had no clothes to change into. Judging by the old clothes he wore, he wouldn't doubt that there wasn't a clean outfit to change into.

Deciding he'd rather walk around in a towel than wear the smelly clothes any longer, he slipped out of the baggy material and stepped under the water.

He was disappointed by the limited cleansing options. The shampoo bottle was quite small, and Light had a feeling he'd need all of it to tame the tangled mess that dared to call itself hair.

He massaged more and more shampoo into the hair, before scrubbing furiously at 'his' scalp. By the time he started rinsing it out, his body was coated in white, soapy suds.

Next for the conditioner... He would need a lot of that, too.

He let it soak in as he reached for the bar of soap. Body wash would be better, but seeing as there was none... this was better than nothing.

When he had scrubbed every inch of the dirty body, until he was raw and red, he turned off the shower. He grabbed the towel and dried himself off, having to spend more time towel drying his hair than he was used to. There was just so _much _of it. And even after all that work, as soon as it started to dry it returned to it's messy state minus the tangles. At least it was softer now, and without any grease...

Securing the towel around bony hips, he made his way back to the computer. It was the only thing in the entire hotel room. There wasn't even any furniture...

He gingerly sat down before the darkened screen, shaking the mouse to wake the computer back up. Surely _someone _would come eventually, and he could get them to bring him clothes. Unless L was actually a prisoner, forced to solve cases in exchange for not being put on death row himself. He could very well be an ex-criminal...

Light shook such thoughts from his mind. He was just freaking out over the situation. Obviously that wasn't the case. If he had truly wanted to, he could have just left the hotel altogether. Though now that he had nothing but a towel to wear (the dirty clothes might as well not exist) leaving wasn't a realistic option...

An open web browser caught Light's attention. He had priorly been using the information on it to guide the police, but now that he really looked at it without feeling any pressure, he realized how detailed it truly was. How close was L to finding him?

The temptation of just deleting everything was strong. But, no, he had to keep up the part of L. He didn't need anyone thinking 'L' was incompetent. Then he would never get in contact with himself. Or... L.

Light sighed, massaging his temples with too-long fingers.

A knock on the door, followed by the sound of said door opening, caught Light's attention. He looked up, surprised by the sight of an old man.

"Sir," he greeted, and Light realized he was hungry when his eyes landed on the tray the man was holding. Was this man some sort of servant of L's? It would make sense for such a sloppy man to need help with daily life activities...

"Could you get me some clean clothes?" Light asked, accepting the tray and placing it before him on the ground. He was appalled to realize it was all sweets. No wonder Light still felt gross after the shower. L's body was supported by this artificial crap. "And tonkatsu with a side of miso soup?"

The man's expression suggested a heart attack, and Light briefly wondered if L had written this person's name in the death note for some reason. Maybe the 'kept captive' theory was correct, after all...

But then the man gave a curt nod, and said, "I'll be right back," before leaving.

* * *

><p>L slouched in his seat, trying his best to remain invisible. However, his actions merely drew more eyes towards him.<p>

The walk to school had been strange, but not too bad. The two boys spoke to him, and simple responses appeased them. L got the feeling they knew nothing about this Light Yagami person.

After arriving to school, he followed the two boys to class. They had urged him to hurry, since he had held them up, and that they needed to get to class right away.

He did _not _feel comfortable running through the halls. The last thing he needed was detention on top of this terrible experience.

He couldn't even remember the last time he had been surrounded by so many people without being able to just blend in. Blending in as this person, however, proved to be impossible.

"Yagami-san," said the teacher, and it took L a moment to realize it was _him _being addressed. "Please answer number 7 on the board."

L looked it over, easily reciting the answer. The teacher seemed appeased, nonetheless adding, "Very good, but please try to pay attention in my class. You are the top student in Japan. Try to be a good role model."

The eyes were all on him again... He couldn't help but hunch his shoulders, sinking another few inches in his desk.

"Are you alright, Yagami-kun?"

He glanced at the girl beside him. She was very pretty, with big brown eyes and long, flowing raven hair. It looked soft to the touch. He caught sight of her paper. Watakashi Yuri. "I feel a bit tired," he replied, figuring he'd need _some _excuse for not acting like Yagami Light.

"You even forgot to do your hair," she added. "I think it's more than being-"

"Watakashi-san, please refrain from speaking in my class."

L decided he really hated school.

When lunch finally arrived, he didn't know whether to rejoice or cry. He didn't have to deal with the teacher, but at least in class he didn't have to socialize too much.

He followed the two boys from earlier, Yamamoto and Mato something. They ended up sitting on the school roof.

L's stomach grumbled, and he frowned to himself. He wasn't used to being hungry. Usually he ate at constant intervals, to avoid such a painful feeling. If he couldn't eat, he might as well study the English book. He was flawless at English, his native tongue, but he hadn't read the book before.

He reached into the messenger bag, pausing as he found something strange. A bento box...?

Light's mom must have slipped it in that morning...

He opened it up, grimacing at the Japanese meal. Rice, fish, and vegetables. Disgusting.

"Ah, that looks so delicious!" said one of his friends. L stabbed a piece of fish with one of his chop sticks (he had no clue how to use them, and hadn't gotten the chance to observe anyone else yet, though he would soon). He might as well try it, to keep up the appearance of normality... He popped it into his mouth, chewing until flavor burst into his mouth.

His eyes fell shut, a light moan escaping his throat. It _was_ delicious. How could something non-sugary taste so good? It had to be because this body had different taste buds, accustomed to different things...

He finished his meal, enjoying every single bite, except for the one with a piece of broccoli. That remained gross tasting.

* * *

><p>Light tugged on the hideous outfit, identical to the last one he had been wearing. Why would anyone in their right mind wear such a thing? He was even hungrier now, taking a bite of fish from his newly delivered tray.<p>

And nearly spitting it back out.

It tasted _disgusting_. It was way too salty, and the flavor... it was absolutely appalling. He sniffed it, and realized that even the smell seemed nauseating. What was _wrong _with this body? Could L really not stand the taste of normal food?

Light decided he would get L's taste buds used to normal food if it killed him. He refused to submit to this body's desire to be polluted with junk food!

Determined, he forced every bite down his throat. It was the worst experience of his entire life. After finishing it, he couldn't help himself. He grabbed a piece of cake from the other tray, still lying on the ground, and ate it in a few big bites.

He felt a bit better...

He also felt drowsy. Could this body really not function without constant sugar intake? Not like Light cared. He would fix this. He could only hope L wasn't ruining his, Light's, body. Or his reputation, for that matter.

* * *

><p>When L <em>finally <em>got to return 'home', he ran to his room and shut the door behind him, collapsing onto the bed. The family might be worried that he had completely ignored him, but he didn't care. He needed a break from people. He couldn't stand it. So much stimulation, so many eyes, so much socializing...

His heart had been pounding in his chest the entire day.

After at least half an hour of just allowing his mind to ramble and his nerves to calm down, he decided to search the room. If he was lucky, he'd find a diary. That would help him act the part better.

He first searched the bookshelf. The most interesting thing he found were women's swimsuit magazines hidden in an encyclopedia cover. He moved on to the desk, looking first in the left drawer. Nothing but random papers. He opened the right.

A black notebook resided within it. White, conspicuous English letters spelled out _Death Note_. Curiosity peaked, L reached to take if from the drawer. The second his hand brushed the cover, loud cackling filled the air. L cried out, toppling to the ground, jaw dropping and body shaking as a horrible monster filled his vision.

"L Lawliet, it's about time you could see me. Maybe you can answer a few of my questions. And buy me some apples."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N<strong>: *Le Gasp* Whoa, what just happened? Please reviewwww, lovely peoples! :D


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Death Note. :P_

Chapter 3

L quickly regained his composure, finding it more difficult with unfamiliar features. The giant, looming monster in front of him might also have something to do with it. "What... what are you?"

The beast cackled. "Hyuk hyuk. I'm the shinigami Ryuk. What are _you_?"

L paused, reflecting on what had been said. Somehow the Shinigami knew his name. His mind was already putting puzzle pieces together. A notebook with the words 'Death Note'. A monster that magically knew his real name, despite both his appearance and the fact it was top secret. He forced his expression to remain stoic, even as his insides churned painfully at his realization. He needed confirmation. "Am I Kira?"

The Shinigami's cackling interspersed his speaking. "Depends. Are you going to write in the book?"

"Write in the..." L picked the notebook back up, gingerly opening it. Within were countless criminal names... he recognized nearly all of them as Kira's victims. He'd have to check up on the ones that were still alive in the notebook... "What does this notebook have to do with Kira's killing method?"

"The human who's name is written in that note shall die," said Ryuk, almost as if reading it from a paper. "Why not try it out for yourself? Hyuk Hyuk."

L sat on the cushioned desk-chair in his familiar crouch, trying to get his brain working again. Or... his borrowed brain? Does it even count as-

He had a brief moment to appreciate the view of a sideways world before his shoulder and hip ignited in pain. Dazed, he sat up in his place on the floor. Sitting comfortably was apparently no longer an option. He cast a glare at the still-cackling shinigami. It was starting to grate on his nerves. Maybe this was how Kira was driven mad- the insane laughter of a God of Death.

L decided to try a modified version of his crouch with his back against the headboard and pillows beneath him. Muscles ached that never ached. He settled down into a criss-cross position, rolling his eyes. Was he even really himself if he did nothing like himself?

Clearly Light-kun, of all the people L could have become, was Kira. Had switching bodies been part of Kira's plan? No, Kira didn't even know who L was. He was sure of that. Could it really just be a coincidence? He gently ran his hands over the english letters on the Death Note. "What happens if I burn it?"

"The owner of the Death Note loses all their memories," Ryuk replied, "and their ability to see their Death God." Ruby eyes were uncharacteristically analytical. "Are you going to burn it?"

L sighed. "No. I can't solve the case without this. It's the only real _evidence._"

Ryuk laughed. "Prepare to be the next Kira, then."

"I'm _not _going to write in it," L clarified. The answering laughter was unnerving. "What's so funny?"

"Hyuk. No human has ever kept it and _not _used it. Not without going insane. It's impossible."

-.-

Light was going insane. How could anyone stay inside so long? Even after opening the blinds and letting the bright sunlight in, he still felt suffocated. What he needed was _out_. He got up from his position on the floor, making a beeline for the door. He slipped on the ratty sneakers by the front door, before sneaking out.

He couldn't sleep at night, no matter how hard he tried. Without sugar, he couldn't think about anything other than sleep. The only solution he could think of was excerise. Maybe if he actually moved, this body would pass out. And he wouldn't go stir crazy.

Exiting the front door of the hotel, he walked right into another man. He opened his mouth to apologize, freezing when he realized who it was. "Watari," he greeted, trying to continue past. The old man wasn't allowing it, blocking the doorway.

"Where are you off to?" asked the 'caretaker'.

Seriously? L had to tell this man before he left? What was he, a child? Then again... if anything happened to the detective, it'd be good for his whereabouts to be known... Maybe it wasn't a case of L-is-a-captive going on here. "I need some fresh air."

"I'll open the windows in your room for you."

Light had to try very hared to keep his expression neutral. He had practiced expressions for at least an hour to make sure he could master them in this body... "I need some fresh air _outside_. I'm just going for a walk."

Watari stepped out of the way, deliberately taking his time. "Be back by dark. You may not value your life, but some people do."

Light paused for a second. Was that... _concern _in the man's voice? Maybe he wasn't a mere caretaker. Maybe he was... a family member. Did the great L even have something as normal as family? He offered a nod to the man, before going on his way. First things first, he needed to find an ATM machine. He had found a credit card in his search of the hotel room.

-.-

"Are you alright? You seem... off," said Sayu, looking up at the world's greatest detective as he helped her with her Algebra II homework.

L ignored her. "Try and solve number ten on your own, now."

"What?" she asked, indignantly. "Can't you go through it with me?"

Children like Sayu were the reason L never wanted to be a teacher. Well, that and the fact that he was set up to be a detective since the age of four. But in any case, no matter how much help he gave, she refused to do anything herself. It was like she wanted him to do it all for her. He snatched up the pencil, pausing for a moment, admiring the untensil. Could something so simple really be used to kill hundreds... thousands_?_ Maybe even millions? If he didn't try it out, he'd never know for sure...

He shook the thought, starting on the problem. "Pay attention this time."

Even as he went through the simple equation, his mind wandered. If Light Yagami truly was Kira, that would mean Kira's in L's body... The mere thought made him dizzy. There were so many things wrong with this situation. He needed to get in contact with Watari, and warn him about the imposter. Before Light learns about the orphanage, and L's successors, and maybe even finds out his real name.

Unfortunately, Watari wasn't the most easy man to reach. L knew his current cell number, but a numerical password needed to be typed in to get through. That password changed every morning. One wrong attempt when typing it in, and you could no longer even try from the number you used to call.

If L went missing, Watari would keep the last password shared between them. As it stood, L hadn't gone missing. For all intents and purposes, his body was quite present. A devil in detective's skin paraded around as L. Even the tracker he had installed in his arm was useless without his body. He had never even _thought _to prepare for a situation like this...

"Light! Sayu!" called Sachiko Yagami. "Dinner's ready! And your father's home!"

Sayu shot from the room like a bullet, L going momentarily deaf from the loud shriek of excitement. Descending the stairs, he caught his first glance of Soichiro Yagami beyond just a screen. The Chief of Police... and Kira's father. In hindsight, it made sense. Kira had to get his passion for justice from somewhere. As he sat at the table, he took this as his chance to catch up.

"How was work?" he asked, innocently.

Soichiro sighed. "You already know I'm working on the Kira case?"

He nodded.

"No new criminals have been killed for over 48 hours," Soichiro confided. "L says Kira is only messing with us, but it makes it hard to-"

"Wait, how did he make that deduction? How does he know Kira didn't quit, or die?"

Soichiro leveled L with a stare. "L has resources beyond anything the police have. He said he'd explain at a later date, but for now we need to trust him."

So Light was enjoying his new power. _Maybe I should, too... _He quickly shook that thought. He had already decided he wouldn't write in the notebook. _Just one name..._What was wrong with him?

"Let's not talk about work at dinner," said Sachiko, redirecting the conversation. "So, Sayu... how was school today?"

-.-

"I _can _do this," Light said to himself. _I'm Kira, God of the New World. I can handle something so __simple!_

Except he couldn't. He stood in the middle of the hotel room, stark naked with a pile of clothes around him. Light held up a black, button-down dress shirt. He couldn't stand the feel of it on his body. On _L's _body. He slipped one arm in... so far, so good... He could do this, even if he had to do it inch by inch! He _would _wear normal clothes.

"Sir... is there a purpose to this?"

Light looked up, locking eyes with Watari. He stood with a tray half-piled with 'normal' food, half piled with sweets. As per Light's request. _Think fast, Light_. "I'm trying to get into the mind of the suspect. I feel Kira most likely wears dress shirts, judging by the evilness of the texture."

Watari didn't even bat an eye, setting the tray down nearby. "Whatever you need to do to solve the case..." He paused on his way out. "I don't know what's going on, but if you need to talk I'm here."

Light took that into consideration after the man left. Could he somehow glean L's name from such a 'talk'? Hours of searching on the computer had come up with nothing.

More importantly, what was he going to do about L? The detective could be setting up incriminating evidence against Light, for all he knew. Undoubtedly he had already figured out Light's secret. At the very least he hadn't _used _the Death Note... yet. He needed to find and subdue L before he could cause any harm. Except, he needed to do it without incriminating himself in the process. He planned on getting his body back, and when that happened, he didn't want to be behind bars, especially that _he put himself behind_.

He pressed a button on his phone, speed dialing Watari. "Hello? Watari? Could you get me an electronic meeting with the police?"

-.-


End file.
